Top Boston Tips - Your Insider Tips for Boston

Boston, the gateway city to New England, is one of the most popular destinations in the US. With so many things to see and do in the city, it can be hard to know where to start. To make things a little easier, we asked you for your insider tips for Boston over at our Hostelworld.com Facebook page. Here’s what you told us...

Enjoy all that Boston has to offer

Matias Pisoni says:

I’ve been at Boston last year, and I found that city amazing!! I would recommend the pier, where you will watch USS Constitution, an old navy ship; the Fenway Park, where you will have the opportunity of enjoy a red sox game, with lots of fans, also you should buy tickets for a Celtics game, really exiting! And the best, walking around the city: you should go to Newbury St, Boylston St, and right side of Charles River. By nights, don´t miss sports pubs at Boylston and Dalton St.

Hostelworld.com says:

Boston, as one of the oldest cities in the US, is steeped in history and boasts a large number of top-notch attractions. It’s also home to some of the world’s most prestigious universities and as a result the city has a lively student population and world-class nightlife. Sports fans have plenty to look forward to too, with the Boston Celtics basketball team and the Red Sox baseball team providing lots of opportunities for you to enjoy some sporting action.

Check out Fenway Park

Gregory Robertson says:

FENWAY PARK! It’s a little pricy but well worth a trip! So much fun, Sox fans are the best

Hostelworld.com says:

Fenway Park is the home of the Boston Red Sox baseball team and is hugely popular with visitors to Boston. Not only can you head to Fenway on game day to soak up the excitement of a baseball game, you can also go on one of the Fenway Park tours. These tours take you around the stadium and out onto the field where famous pitcher Babe Ruth played.

Location: 4 Yawkey Way.
Opening hours: Tours run on the hour from 9am-4pm daily, times vary on game days.
Price: $12 for an adult ticket.

Find out why the city is called ‘Beantown’

Patricia Yanez Martinez says:

Ask a local, for a very good place to eat beans... but it has to be a local one, so he will know exactly where

Hostelworld.com says:

There’s a reason people refer to Boston as ‘Beantown’ and that’s because, historically, baked beans have been a regional favourite here all the way back to colonial times. Boston baked beans are made by slowly baking beans that have been soaked in molasses. If you’re looking for somewhere to sample this Boston speciality, it’s a good plan to ask some of the locals.

Look around the Boston African American National Historic Site

Clémence Brasme says:

Visit the African American history museum :)

Hostelworld.com says:

At the Boston African American National Historic Site you’ll find the Abiel Smith School. This school was the first publically funded schoolhouse for African American children in the country. Today it houses museum exhibits charting the history of African American people in the US and much more.

Location: 46 Joy Street.
Opening hours: Mon-Sat 10am-4pm, closed Sun.

Check out the Samuel Adams Brewery

Hannah Kerley says:

The Samuel Adams brewery visit was a highlight. Great tour, great people and great beer!

Hostelworld.com says:

At the Samuel Adams Brewery, you’ll be able to experience the entire brewing process from beginning to end. You’ll learn about the special malts used in the different varieties of Samuel Adams beer. And best of all, you’ll get to sample the finished product!

Stroll through the Public Garden

Margaréta Nagy says:

Visit Public Garden with the swan boats

Hostelworld.com says:

Boston’s Public Garden is a beautiful expanse, perfect for a stroll if you’re looking to take a little break from the hustle and bustle of the city. One of America’s oldest public botanic gardens, the Public Garden features colourful flowerbeds, tall trees and lots more. There’s also a lagoon where the famous Boston Swan Boats have been taking lots of visitors out for a trip on the water for over 130 years.

Ride Codzilla at Boston Harbour

Ben Wolfe says:

You have to go to Boston Harbor and ride Codzilla.

Hostelworld.com says:

Codzilla, despite the name, is not actually a large, rampaging fish. Instead, it’s a high-speed boat ride which entertains huge numbers of visitors in Boston. The turbo-charged Codzilla can seat 135 people, and the boat itself can do 360 degree turns and speeds of around 40 miles per hour. Wear something casual for the trip as chances are you’ll get wet!

Location: Long Wharf.
Opening hours: Daily, times vary with season.
Price: $25 for an adult ticket.

Head up to Salem

Janet Sheehan says:

Take a trip to Salem

Hostelworld.com says:

If you’re looking to take a trip outside of Boston, why not head up to Salem, which is a mere 30-minute train ride from the city. Site of the infamous Salem Witch Trials, this town has lots to offer including historic buildings and museums, along with numerous bars and restaurants.

Sample some of Boston’s excellent nightlife

Rob Heffo says:

Find a local Irish bar!

Jordi Molina says:

Doing a Pub Crawl! Great!!!

Colm Mullin says:

Drink with some Boston Irish!!

Hostelworld.com says:

Vast and diverse, Boston’s nightlife encompasses bars, clubs, theatres and much, much more. As there’s such a large student population in the city, you’ll find a great selection of bars offering drinks promotions. The live music scene in Boston is pretty great too, with comedy clubs also here to make you grin. If you’re heading out make sure you bring your ID with you as the legal drinking age in Boston is 21.

Use the T to get around

Jamie Bater says:

Use the T! great transit system that'll take you to all the main attractions, Walk the Freedom Trail, Go to Mike's Pastry in the North end for some Awesome Cannolis!! Galerie d'Orsay is an art Gallery with Dahlis, renoirs etc. with super friendly and informative staff. too much to List, what a great City!!

Hostelworld.com says:

To fully experience all that Boston has to offer you’ll need a quick and easy way to get around. Enter Boston’s top-notch subway system or, as it’s also known, ‘the T’. Getting around using the T couldn’t be easier, thanks to the colour coded lines and numerous stations. As well as subway, the MBTA also operates a comprehensive commuter train and bus network along with a number of ferries.

Boston, the gateway city to New England, is one of the most popular destinations in the US. With so many things to see and do in the city, it can be hard to know where to start. To make things a little easier, we asked you for your insider tips for Boston over at our Hostelworld.com Facebook page. Here’s what you told us...

Enjoy all that Boston has to offer

Matias Pisoni says:

I’ve been at Boston last year, and I found that city amazing!! I would recommend the pier, where you will watch USS Constitution, an old navy ship; the Fenway Park, where you will have the opportunity of enjoy a red sox game, with lots of fans, also you should buy tickets for a Celtics game, really exiting! And the best, walking around the city: you should go to Newbury St, Boylston St, and right side of Charles River. By nights, don´t miss sports pubs at Boylston and Dalton St.

Hostelworld.com says:

Boston, as one of the oldest cities in the US, is steeped in history and boasts a large number of top-notch attractions. It’s also home to some of the world’s most prestigious universities and as a result the city has a lively student population and world-class nightlife. Sports fans have plenty to look forward to too, with the Boston Celtics basketball team and the Red Sox baseball team providing lots of opportunities for you to enjoy some sporting action.

Check out Fenway Park

Gregory Robertson says:

FENWAY PARK! It’s a little pricy but well worth a trip! So much fun, Sox fans are the best

Hostelworld.com says:

Fenway Park is the home of the Boston Red Sox baseball team and is hugely popular with visitors to Boston. Not only can you head to Fenway on game day to soak up the excitement of a baseball game, you can also go on one of the Fenway Park tours. These tours take you around the stadium and out onto the field where famous pitcher Babe Ruth played.

Location: 4 Yawkey Way.
Opening hours: Tours run on the hour from 9am-4pm daily, times vary on game days.
Price: $12 for an adult ticket.

Find out why the city is called ‘Beantown’

Patricia Yanez Martinez says:

Ask a local, for a very good place to eat beans... but it has to be a local one, so he will know exactly where

Hostelworld.com says:

There’s a reason people refer to Boston as ‘Beantown’ and that’s because, historically, baked beans have been a regional favourite here all the way back to colonial times. Boston baked beans are made by slowly baking beans that have been soaked in molasses. If you’re looking for somewhere to sample this Boston speciality, it’s a good plan to ask some of the locals.

Look around the Boston African American National Historic Site

Clémence Brasme says:

Visit the African American history museum :)

Hostelworld.com says:

At the Boston African American National Historic Site you’ll find the Abiel Smith School. This school was the first publically funded schoolhouse for African American children in the country. Today it houses museum exhibits charting the history of African American people in the US and much more.

Location: 46 Joy Street.
Opening hours: Mon-Sat 10am-4pm, closed Sun.

Check out the Samuel Adams Brewery

Hannah Kerley says:

The Samuel Adams brewery visit was a highlight. Great tour, great people and great beer!

Hostelworld.com says:

At the Samuel Adams Brewery, you’ll be able to experience the entire brewing process from beginning to end. You’ll learn about the special malts used in the different varieties of Samuel Adams beer. And best of all, you’ll get to sample the finished product!

Stroll through the Public Garden

Margaréta Nagy says:

Visit Public Garden with the swan boats

Hostelworld.com says:

Boston’s Public Garden is a beautiful expanse, perfect for a stroll if you’re looking to take a little break from the hustle and bustle of the city. One of America’s oldest public botanic gardens, the Public Garden features colourful flowerbeds, tall trees and lots more. There’s also a lagoon where the famous Boston Swan Boats have been taking lots of visitors out for a trip on the water for over 130 years.

Ride Codzilla at Boston Harbour

Ben Wolfe says:

You have to go to Boston Harbor and ride Codzilla.

Hostelworld.com says:

Codzilla, despite the name, is not actually a large, rampaging fish. Instead, it’s a high-speed boat ride which entertains huge numbers of visitors in Boston. The turbo-charged Codzilla can seat 135 people, and the boat itself can do 360 degree turns and speeds of around 40 miles per hour. Wear something casual for the trip as chances are you’ll get wet!

Location: Long Wharf.
Opening hours: Daily, times vary with season.
Price: $25 for an adult ticket.

Head up to Salem

Janet Sheehan says:

Take a trip to Salem

Hostelworld.com says:

If you’re looking to take a trip outside of Boston, why not head up to Salem, which is a mere 30-minute train ride from the city. Site of the infamous Salem Witch Trials, this town has lots to offer including historic buildings and museums, along with numerous bars and restaurants.

Sample some of Boston’s excellent nightlife

Rob Heffo says:

Find a local Irish bar!

Jordi Molina says:

Doing a Pub Crawl! Great!!!

Colm Mullin says:

Drink with some Boston Irish!!

Hostelworld.com says:

Vast and diverse, Boston’s nightlife encompasses bars, clubs, theatres and much, much more. As there’s such a large student population in the city, you’ll find a great selection of bars offering drinks promotions. The live music scene in Boston is pretty great too, with comedy clubs also here to make you grin. If you’re heading out make sure you bring your ID with you as the legal drinking age in Boston is 21.

Use the T to get around

Jamie Bater says:

Use the T! great transit system that'll take you to all the main attractions, Walk the Freedom Trail, Go to Mike's Pastry in the North end for some Awesome Cannolis!! Galerie d'Orsay is an art Gallery with Dahlis, renoirs etc. with super friendly and informative staff. too much to List, what a great City!!

Hostelworld.com says:

To fully experience all that Boston has to offer you’ll need a quick and easy way to get around. Enter Boston’s top-notch subway system or, as it’s also known, ‘the T’. Getting around using the T couldn’t be easier, thanks to the colour coded lines and numerous stations. As well as subway, the MBTA also operates a comprehensive commuter train and bus network along with a number of ferries.